TN Musician Vol. 72, No. 3

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Music Education Association 

We are 

TAMECU 

by Eric Branscome 

p. 16 

2020 TMEA 

Presidential Candidates 

p. 19 

Cultivating Relationships 

Through Trust = SUPPORT 

by Marcia Neel 

p. 26 

VOLUME 72, NO. 3

MUSIC 

MUSIC WITH PURPOSE 

A Christ-centered university in southeast 

Tennessee with faculty, curriculum, facilities, 

and opportunities to prepare you for your 

goals as tomorrow’s musician. 

Audition Dates: 

NOV. 6 | JAN. | FEB. | MAR. | APR. 

LEEUNIVERSITY.edu/music

TENNESSEE MUSICIAN EDITORIAL STAFF 

Michael W. Chester 

Managing Editor and Advertising Manager 

Anna Laura Williams 

Associate Editor 

Lisa Burden 

Contributing Editor 

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THE TENNESSEE MUSICIAN 

The Official Publication of the 

Tennessee Music Education Association 

The Tennessee Music Education Association (TMEA) 

was officially formed in 1945 as a voluntary, non-profit 

organization representing all phases of music education at 

all school levels. The mission of TMEA is to promote the 

advancement of high quality music education for all. Active 

TMEA membership is open to all persons currently teaching 

music and others with a special interest or involvement 

in music education. Collegiate memberships and retired 

memberships are available. Membership applications are 

available on the TMEA website, www.tnmea.org. 

The Tennessee Musician was founded in 1948 with 

J. Clark Rhodes appointed by the TMEA Board of Control 

as inaugural editor. Tennessee Musician was preceded by 

an earlier publication, Tennessee Music Editors’ Downbeat, 

which was discontinued by the TMEA Board of Control at 

the spring board meeting, held in Chattanooga, Tennessee 

in 1948. Tennessee Musician is published by Slate Group – 

Lubbock, Texas and is mailed to members four times each 

year at an annual subscription rate of $6.00 (included in 

dues). Non-member subscription rate (includes S&H): $30.00 

per school year; single copies: $10.00 per issue. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS | 2020 | VOLUME 72, NO. 3 

Prelude - A Message from the Editor 6 

Michael Chester 

TMEA President’s Message 10 

Lafe Cook 

By the Numbers/Verbatim 12 

Lisa Burden 

FEATURED ARTICLES 

We are TAMECU 16 

Eric Branscome, Ph.D. 

2020 TMEA Presidential Candidates 19 

Cultivating Relationships Through Trust = SUPPORT 26 

Marcia Neel 

Tennessee Musician Advertiser Index 31 

TMEA Back Then 32 

All editorial materials should be sent to: 

Michael Chester, Managing Editor 

(615-904-6771 x. 31600); E-mail: editor@tnmea.org. 

Submit materials by e-mail in Microsoft Word format. 

Advertising: All advertising information is on the TMEA 

website, www.tnmea.org. 

Deadlines for advertisement orders and editorial materials: 

Issue No. 1 – Deadline: September 15 (in home delivery 

date October 15); Issue No. 2 – Deadline: November 15 

(in home delivery date December 15); Issue No. 3 – Deadline: 

February 15 (in home delivery date March 15); Issue 

No. 4 – Deadline: April 15 (in home delivery date May 15) 

Postmaster: Send address changes to: Tennessee Musician, 

c/o National Association for Music Education 

(NAfME), 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 

20191-4348. 

Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization U.S. Postage Paid 

at Lubbock, Texas. ISSN Number 0400-3332; EIN 

number 20-3325550 

Copyright © 2020 Tennessee Music Education 

Association. Reproduction in any form is illegal 

without the express permission of the editor. 

Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 1

TMEA BOARD AND COUNCIL 

NATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD 

(NATIONAL ASSOCIATION 

FOR MUSIC EDUCATION) 

SOUTHERN DIVISION PRESIDENT: 

Dian Eddleman 

deddleman@usjbruins.org 

TMEA PUBLICATIONS EDITOR AND 

ADVERTISING MANAGER: 


editor@tnmea.org 

TMEA PUBLICATIONS ASSOCIATE EDITOR: 


ETGMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT 

Amanda McMahan 

amanda.mcmahan@knoxschools.org 

ETVA PRESIDENT: 

Stephanie Coker 

scoker@acs.ac 

TN ALL-STATE SSAA CHOIR CHAIR: 

Amanda Short 

amandalovellshort@gmail.com 

TN ALL-STATE TTBB CHOIR CHAIR: 

Trey Jacobs 

ira.jacobsiii@mnps.org 

TMEA OFFICERS 

TMEA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: 

Ron Meers 

execdirector@tnmea.org 

TMEA PRESIDENT: 

Lafe Cook 

president@tnmea.org 

TMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT: 

Alexis Yatuzis-Derryberry 

pres-elect@tnmea.org 

TMEA IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT: 

Johnathan Vest, Ed. D. 

past-president@tnmea.org 

tmea.newsletter@tnmea.org 

TMEA COUNCIL 

WTGMEA PRESIDENT: 

Ray Mullins 

wtgmeamemphis@yahoo.com 

WTGMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT: 

Jennifer Proseus 

jproseus@cmdsmemphis.org 

WTVMEA PRESIDENT: 

Emily Taylor 

etaylor@colliervilleschools.org 

WTVMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT: 

Sharon Morris 

ETVA PRESIDENT-ELECT: 

Deborah Gouge 

debgouge@charter.net 

ETSBOA PRESIDENT: 

Alan Hunt 

ahunt@bradleyschools.org 

ETSBOA PRESIDENT-ELECT: 

Donald Benton 

dbenton@bradleyschools.org 

CONFERENCE MANAGEMENT TEAM 

TMEA CONFERENCE CO-CHAIR: 

Brad Turner 

brad.turner@acsk-12.org 

TN ALL-STATE 9TH - 10TH GRADE STRING ORCHES- 

TRA CHAIR: 

Nichole Pitts 

pitts_stephanie@hcde.org 

TN ALL-STATE 11TH - 12TH GRADE SYMPHONIC OR- 

CHESTRA CHAIR: 

Gary Wilkes 

gwilkes428@gmail.com 

TN ALL-STATE 9TH - 10TH GRADE CONCERT BAND 

CHAIR: 

Brock Cobb 

brock.cobb@cmcss.net 

TN ALL-STATE 11TH - 12TH GRADE CONCERT BAND 

CHAIR: 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

TMEA STATE GENERAL MUSIC CHAIR: 

Linzie Mullins 

linziemullins9@gmail.com 

TMEA STATE CHORAL CHAIR: 

Reachel Hudgins 

choralchair@tnmea.org 

TMEA STATE ORCHESTRA CHAIR: 

Anna Maria Miller 

orchestrachair@tnmea.org 

TMEA STATE BAND CHAIR: 

Megan Christian 

megan.christian@knoxschools.org 

TMEA STATE HIGHER EDUCATION CHAIR: 

Barry Kraus, DMA 

higheredchair@tnmea.org 

TMEA STATE COLLEGIATE NAFME CHAIR: 

David Royse, Ph. D. 

droyse@utk.edu 

TMEA SOCIETY FOR MUSIC TEACHER EDUCATION/ 

RESEARCH CHAIR: 

Jamilia McWhirter, Ph. D. 

jamila.mcwhirter@mtsu.edu 

TMEA STATE TECHNOLOGY CHAIR: 

John Womack 

webmaster@tnmea.org 

TMEA ADVOCACY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS CHAIR: 

Christopher Dye, Ed. D. 

smorris@lced.net 

WTSBOA PRESIDENT: 

Ollie Liddell 

ollie_liddell@hotmail.com 

WTSBOA PRESIDENT-ELECT: 

Jennifer Cupples 

jennifer.cupples@wcsk12tn.net 

MTGMEA PRESIDENT: 

Rachel Lapinski 

lapinskir@rcschools.net 

MTGMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT: 

Corynn York 

corynn.york@cityschools.net 

MTVA PRESIDENT: 

Lia Holland 

liaholland@mtcscougars.org 

MTVA PRESIDENT-ELECT: 

Gerald Patton 

pattong@rcschools.net 

MTSBOA PRESIDENT: 

Justin Scott 

justin.scott@tcsedu.net 

MTSBOA PRESIDENT-ELECT: 

J.R. Baker 

john.baker@rcstn.net 

ETGMEA PRESIDENT: 

Marcus Smith 

marcus.smith@knoxschools.org 

TMEA CO-CONFERENCE CHAIR: 

Paul Waters 

paulwaters.tmea@gmail.com 

TMEA CONFERENCE EXHIBITS CHAIR: 

Jo Ann Hood 

jhood10105@aol.com 

TMEA CONFERENCE REGISTRATION CHAIR: 

Mark Garey 

mgarey86@comcast.net 

TMEA CONFERENCE PERFORMANCE GROUP CHAIR: 

John Mears 

mearsj@rcschools.net 

ALL-STATE MANAGEMENT TEAM 

TN ALL-STATE CHORAL GENERAL CHAIR: 

Amanda Ragan 

aragan@ortn.edu 

TN ALL-STATE INSTRUMENTAL GENERAL CHAIR: 

Carter Noblin 

noblinc@wcschools.com 

ENSEMBLE CHAIRS 

TREBLE HONOR CHOIR CHAIR: 

Tiffany Barton 

tntreblechoir@gmail.com 

TN ALL-STATE SATB CHOIR CHAIR: 

Kelly Davenport 

davenportK@wcde.org 

J.R. Baker 

john.baker@rcstn.net 

TN ALL-STATE JAZZ BAND CHAIR: 

Cord Martin 

corderyl.martin@gmail.com 

PROJECT CHAIRS 

TMEA JAZZ EDUCATION POLICY CHAIR: 

Richard Ripani, Ph. D. 

richard.ripani@mnps.org 

TMEA MUSIC MERCHANTS INDUSTRY CHAIR: 

Rick DeJonge 

rick.dejonge@khsmusic.com 

TMEA WEBMASTER: 

John Womack 

webmaster@tnmea.org 

TMEA TRI-M CHAIR: 


anna.laura.williams@outlook.com 

TMEA MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH CHAIR: 

Tiffany Barton 

tntreblechoir@gmail.com 

TMEA RETIRED TEACHERS CHAIR: 

Bobby Jean Frost 

bjfrost@aol.com 

christopher.dye@mtsu.edu 

2 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2020 | Volume 72, No. 3

T 

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE 

PRIDE OF THE SOUTHLAND BAND 

2020 MARCHING BAND AUDITION DATES 

MUSIC MAJORS AND MUSIC MINORS 

(Woodwind/Brass/Percussion) 

February 8, February 15 or February 22 

NON MUSIC MAJORS 

(Woodwind/Brass/Percussion/Color Guard) 

February 29 & March 7 

Video auditions may be submitted if you are unable to attend these dates. 

For more information on how to join The Pride of the Southland Band 

visit our website www.utbands.com or call us at 865-974-5031. 

CONNECT WITH UT BANDS 


• Competitive 

scholarships available 

• Music ensembles from 

symphony to salsa 

• 200+ music 

events per year 

• 8 undergraduate 

music programs 

• 8 graduate 

music programs 

• Music living-learning 

community on campus 

• 36 full-time and 

40 part-time faculty 

• University Honors 

College courses 

AUDITION DATES 

Friday, February 7, 2020 

Saturday, February 22, 2020 

Saturday, February 29, 2020 

0919-8126 / Middle Tennessee State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability. See our full policy at mtsu.edu/iec. 

SCHOOL OF MUSIC 

MTSU Box 47 

Murfreesboro, TN 37132 

615-898-2469 

mtsumusic.com

Social icon 

Circle 

Only use blue and/or white. 

For more details check out our 

Brand Guidelines. 

MusicatTech 

Scholarship 

Audition Dates 

Feb. 7, 2020 

Feb. 21, 2020 

March 6, 2020 

• Degrees in music education and performance. 

• Scholarships are available for music majors and 

non–music majors. 

• Schedule a visit with us—we’d love to meet you! 

Tennessee Tech University 

School of Music 

Box 5045 

Cookeville, TN 38505 

(931) 372–3161 

music@tntech.edu 

www.tntech.edu/music 

@TNTechMusic

PRELUDE - A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR 

Michael Chester // Stewarts Creek High School 

As a music teacher, perhaps more than at any other time 

in history, we can see how the value of what we teach 

in the music classroom is so essential to our survival. 

There have been very few moments in the course of 

human history where an event of epic proportions has 

so galvanized the world. Even more so, rarely do these 

events trickle down into our daily way of life. Most 

of these events are nothing more than headlines that 

make the nightly news and talk radio segments. During 

my brief lifetime, I have witnessed from afar many of our 

civilizations’ most horrific and tragic events that end up making 

a page in the history books. Yet through the drama and peril, 

leaders emerge, and our society endures. We get through these 

crises, and we learn just a little bit more about what it takes to 

push the boundaries of human ingenuity just a little bit further. 

We ostensibly prepare for the next crisis that awaits us. And 

while there is no question that when such tragic events make 

the newswires, they tend to be horrific. However, it often seems 

that many of us and our way of life are seemingly insulated from 

these tragedies. We merely go about our daily lives, perhaps a bit 

more appreciative of our blessings at that moment. Moreover, 

these events seldom affect our teaching in the music classroom, 

save for the occasional class discussion. Now in this century, 

it seems that we are once again witnessing a crisis of historic 

proportions. Except this time, rather than watching this from 

afar, this crisis now impacts our entire way of life. COVID-19, 

the novel coronavirus, has drastically changed everything in its 

wake. We now have no choice but to take drastic steps to face 

this invisible enemy head-on. This is the great awakening. 

I first learned of the COVID-19 from Morning Edition on NPR. It 

was early January as the first reports of a virus in Wuhan, China 

emerged. At that time, it seemed like a problem that was far 

away. Like every other kind of upper respiratory illness that had 

some clever acronym, I really didn’t give it much thought. Sure, 

it seemed like a troubling situation. It would make the headlines 

on the radio as I drove home. It occupied a quick segment on the 

nightly news. It even made its rounds on the late-night shows 

during the monologue segments. Indeed, this virus was so far 

away. It was still, in a sense, an abstraction. 

Fast forward to March. The virus, by this point, is now classified 

as a global pandemic. It has slowly been spreading in the United 

States. Schools begin to close. Events like recitals, concerts, 

and performance assessments get canceled. Professional 

sports begin to either cancel or postpone their seasons entirely. 

In fact, the cancellation of our very own TMEA Professional 

Development Conference and the All-State Ensembles was yet 

just another in a series of disruptions to our usual way of life. 

There is no way to put the COVID-19 pandemic into any 

discernable context at this time, nor would I assume to do so. 

Yet I would say it is safe to consider that every single one of us 

has been affected by this pandemic, either directly or indirectly. 

It’s hard to make sense of all of this. So many activities and 

opportunities that we normally engage in have subsequently all 

but vanished due to cancellation. This pandemic has forced all 

of us to face an abyss of uncertainty. 

In these troubling times, I find it comforting to immerse 

myself into the throughs of history. I tried to find out more 

about other pandemics and epidemics. Many of you may have 

read the historical accounts of the great influenza pandemic 

of 1918-1920. The information and references surrounding 

this particularly deadly pandemic somehow became rather 

obscure (up until now). Many experts believe that this was 

due to the news of the day regarding the First World War. I 

wanted to know more about the effects of this pandemic on 

music education. I wanted to see if there was any literature 

regarding how music educators dealt with that crisis. Try as 

I might, I was not successful in finding anything specific or of 

value to this editorial. A cursory search at the past issues of 

the Music Educators Journal from 1918-1921 found nothing 

except one small sentence regarding the terrible influenza 

pandemic. As I combed through the editorials and state 

reports, it was as if there had been no pandemic at all. I also 

found nothing concerning music education and the peak of 

the polio epidemic in the 1950s. I have to believe that in those 

two specific examples that all educators were affected to some 

degree. It seems inevitable that music educators adapted what 

and how they taught during those times. Hopefully, as we move 

forward, our scholarly music education journals will reference 

our current pandemic. There is so much to document, from 

how this pandemic affected us, what we did in the interim to 

create music education in a time of social distancing, and how 

we ended up defeating this virus. Hopefully, we can leave that 

message in a bottle, or rather an accurate historical account for 

the next generations of music teachers so that they may learn 

something from the past that helps them in the future. 


Searching through other historical writings during a time of 

crisis, I also came across the first inaugural address of President 

Franklin D. Roosevelt. Written mostly by his close aide 

Raymond Moley, I found a quote from this address that strikes a 

rather poignant tone in our current times: 

. . . we now realize as we have never realized 

before our interdependence on each other; 

that we cannot merely take, but we must give 

as well; that if we are to go forward, we must 

move as a trained and loyal army willing to 

sacrifice for the good of a common discipline, 

because without such discipline no progress 

is made, no leadership becomes effective. 

- Franklin D. Roosevelt 

Regardless of one’s political views or opinions about Roosevelt 

and the world during this period in time, understand that all 

of history tends to be cyclical. Something to consider during 

times of emergency is that leadership emerges from all sides, 

and compromises are made to benefit the whole. We have a 

unique perspective in our present-day to debate the merits of 

those solutions, to analyze and contextualize the leadership 

and decisions made, and hopefully to learn as we work together 

during our current crisis. 

teach students multiple skill sets, creative problem-solving, 

teamwork, and the ability to try, to fail, and to try again. Even 

as you read this editorial, we have so many people who are 

striving to do their part in defeating COVID-19. Right now, 

our healthcare workers and scientists are on the frontlines, 

caring for the sick, and trying to study this virus and develop 

treatments, tests, and a vaccine. They are working in teams, 

problem-solving. We have economists who are studying and 

analyzing data. We have people in the field of logistics who are 

trying to find new supply-chains. So many people are working 

together, across professions to solve this crisis. Even the high 

school teenager who sanitizes your cart and stocks your shelves 

in your local grocery store is contributing. Everyone is playing 

a role. There are so many great examples of people who are 

working together to support another team. Then, in turn, that 

team works together to support yet another team. Everyone is 

working to accomplish the same goal — to eradicate this disease. 

Eventually it will be the job of artists to react and to respond 

with subsequent works that will help all of us memorialize and 

work through the myriad of emotions we all face during this 

time. 

It is apparent that the next few months will be far from easy. 

We may have to alter our paradigm, and we may all have to 

stretch ourselves in new and creative ways. There is no 

question that we will emerge from this. While the timeline has 

yet to be determined, what remains is that music instruction 

will somehow find a way to endure, and it will force us to 

innovate in new and clever ways not yet realized. 

We have seen numerous extreme crises in our shared history as 

a nation and the world. Yet subsequent generations left us with 

their solutions that moved the world forward through progress. 

We will undoubtedly do the same. 

As a music teacher, perhaps more than at any other time in 

history, we can see how the value of what we teach in the music 

classroom is so essential to our survival. Music and the arts 


Managing Editor 



BE EXCELLENT. BE CHRIST-CENTERED. 

BE TRANSFORMED. 

Your musical talents are a gift from God to be developed and 

used for His glory. At Union University, you’ll find a music 

program that will allow you to explore God’s calling and 

equip you for success in your life and career. 

LEARN MORE AT uu.edu/music 

BE TRANSFORMED 


TMEA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 

Lafe Cook || Dobyns-Bennett High School 

Perhaps never before in the history of the world has it 

been more obvious that what YOU do matters! The gift 

of music that YOU give your students and communities 

is the very thing all of society is turning to in these 

uncertain times. 

By now all of us have learned that schools in the State of 

Tennessee will remain closed for the duration of the school 

year. Amidst everything that is going on around the world 

there is one undeniable truth that has become obvious to 

all humanity. In times of global crisis, all people turn to music for 

hope and solace! 

Whether it is quarantined Italian citizens sharing song from 

their windows and balconies or professional musicians 

collaborating via the internet to share their music, social 

media has been flooded with the sounds of people across 

the world making music together in new ways. 

The world has decided that we need music and the arts 

more than ever to simply survive what is happening. Free 

concerts, free books, free museum exhibits, all online! 

Moreover, when this crisis is over, think of the evidence we 

will have that what we are teaching students about music 

(both as makers of music and consumers of music) matters! 

Perhaps never before in the history of the world has it been 

more obvious that what YOU do matters! The gift of music 

that YOU give your students and communities is the very 

thing all of society is turning to in these uncertain times. 

While the world’s awakened awareness about the power 

of music is a silver lining for us as music educators, there 

is still so much to mourn. Of course, we mourn for those 

who will lose their lives to this terrible virus but we also 

feel a sense of loss for our students. Across Tennessee 

and the country, our students are missing so many of 

the traditional end of the year school experiences. As 

cancellation after cancellation has been announced, we 

have seen an outpouring of grief from students and teachers 

alike over the things that will be missed. All-State, final 

concerts, end of the year awards banquets, baccalaureates, 

and potentially even high school graduation ceremonies 

cancelled. 

The outpouring of grief from students, parents, and 

teachers shows us what we as music teachers already 

knew. It shows us that much of what matters about a 

student’s school experience is so much more than facts 

and formulas. The sense of community that school brings 

to students and their families is of the greatest value and 

is most obviously showcased in your classroom: the music 

classroom. I encourage you to be mindful of the loss your 

students feel by missing many of their end of the year 

experiences, especially high school seniors. Reach out to 

your seniors, they miss you and are hurting. 

The cancellation of All-State and our professional 

development conference means that we will not get to see 

each other this year. Please know that it has been an honor 

to serve as president of TMEA. Before being elected to 

this role, I had primarily stayed in the “band track” at the 

conference. In my role as president, my eyes were opened 

to the amazing teaching going on in EVERY area of music 

teaching across our state. I have so much respect for the 

work being done at every age level and in every genre of 

music education in Tennessee. 

It has also been an honor to work with an amazing 

board of directors and the regional leaders in the TMEA 

Council. Additionally, I have the utmost respect for the 

TMEA Conference Committee who spent hours and hours 

planning the conference, only to have it cancelled. I hope 

you will take a moment to thank them for their service to 

TMEA. 

And speaking of service to TMEA, I know all of you join me 

in wishing the best to our retiring Executive Director Ron 

Meers who has been a guiding light for TMEA for many 

years! 

I hope you and your families are safe and healthy and I look 

forward to the 2021 TMEA Conference when we can all 

come together again and celebrate the greatest teachers 

and students in Tennessee! 

Lafe Cook 

TMEA President 


TMEA BY THE NUMBERS // VERBATIM 

by Lisa Burden 

The Equity of Music Education 

NAFME’S POSITION ON EQUITY 

All students deserve access to and 

equity in the delivery of music 

education, one of the subjects deemed 

necessary in federal law for a wellrounded 

education, which is at the heart 

of NAfME’s state mission: to advance 

music education by promoting the 

understanding and making of music by 

all. 1 

of those... 

56% of students in FRINGE TOWN 

areas of Tennessee were enrolled 

in music courses. A fringe town 

location is defined as being within 

an urban cluster and being 10 or 

less miles from an urbanized area. 

1,726 schools in Tennessee are 

defined as fringe town schools. 

71,549 students in these 1,726 

schools received no arts 

education whatsoever. 

54% of students in REMOTE TOWN 


in music education courses. A 

remote town location is defined 

as being within an urban cluster 

but is more than 35 miles away 

from an urbanized area. 48 

schools in Tennessee are defined 

as remote town schools. 1,988 

students in these 48 schools 

received no arts education 

whatsoever. 

“The argument here,” he said, “is not 

that the children in districts having 

relatively low assessable property values 

are receiving no public education; rather, 

it is that they are receiving a poorer 

quality education than that available 

to children in districts having more 

assessable wealth.” 

- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell (in his 

writings regarding San Antonio Independent School 

District v. Rodriguez.) 

The Tennessee Arts Data Project provides 

fantastic information regarding how 

the arts are offered across the state by 

locale (city, suburban, town, or rural), 

artistic discipline, and free and reduced 

lunch status, among other indicators. 

This data can be accessed at http:// 

tnartseducationdataproject.org 

“The Tennessee Arts Data Project 

creates the state’s first ever online 

searchable database on PK-12 student 

access to and participation in arts 

education. The purpose of the project 

is to empower school districts, 

educators, policymakers, and funders 

with arts education data for decisionmaking 

in support of a well-rounded 

education.” 

students living in a TOWN were 

enrolled in arts education 

of those... 

students living in a 

RURAL COMMUNITY 

were enrolled in arts education 

31% of students in REMOTE RURAL 

areas of Tennessee were 

enrolled in music courses. A 

rural remote location is defined 

as being 25 or more miles from 

an urbanized area. 46 schools 

in Tennessee are defined as 

rural remote schools. 3,278 



whatsoever. 

51% of students in FRINGE REMOTE 


in music education courses. A 

fringe remote location is defined 

as being between 2.5 and 5 miles 

from an urbanized area. 301 


as fringe remote schools. 11,492 



whatsoever. 


students living in a 

CITY 

were enrolled in 

arts education 

students living in a SUBURB 

were enrolled in arts education 

of those... 

66% of students in SMALL CITY 


in music courses. A small city 

location is defined as territory 

inside an urbanized area and 

inside a principal city with a 

population less than 100,000. 86 

schools in Tennessee were defined 

as small city schools. 70 students 

in these 86 schools received no 

arts education whatsoever. 

59% of students in LARGE CITY 

areas of Tennessee were enrolled in 

music courses. A large city location 

is defined as territory inside 

an urbanized area and inside a 

principal city with a population of 

250,000 or more. 344 schools in 

Tennessee are defined as large city 

schools. 15,793 students in these 

344 schools received no arts 

education whatsoever. 

of those... 

64% of students in LARGE SUBURBAN 


in music courses. A large suburban 

location is defined as territory 

outside a major city and inside an 

urbanized area with a poulation 

of 250,000 or more. 222 schools 

in Tennessee are defined as large 

suburban schools. 2,683 students 

in these 222 schools received no 

arts education whatsoever. 

91% of students in SMALL SUBURBAN 


in music courses. A small 

suburban location is defined as 

territory outside a major city and 

inside an urbanized area with a 

population less than 100,000. 17 


as small suburban schools. 369 



whatsoever. 

1 

“Equity and Access in Music Education.” NAfME, 

nafme.org/about/position-statements/equity-access/. 

Percentage data retrieved from “TN Arts Edcuation Data Project.” TN Arts 

Education Data Project, tnartseducationdataproject.org/. 

What can be done with this data? 

• Data is available for each school 

system as well as each school. As an 

individual, it would be possible to 

use locale code information to find 

school systems and schools that are 

similar to your locale code. Music 

educators can then connect and 

discuss ideas of what works in your 

school system and raise awareness 

regarding equity in music education. 

• “Enrollment Totals” and “Arts 

Educators” numbers are color 

coded to show if a school system or 

school’s numbers are above average 

(blue) or below average (orange). 

This also helps in raising awareness 

on the equity and availability of arts 

education in your school system 

and/or school. 

• This data allows stakeholders to 

consider the availability of arts 

and staff to teach the arts in school 

systems and schools across the state. 

After all, it all starts with knowledge 

that leads to empowerment and then 

action. 


DEPARTMENT 

OF MUSIC 

GIVE VOICE TO 

YOUR DREAMS 

Music Days: 

Open House and Auditions 

for Fall 2020 Enrollment 

Friday, November 15, 2019 

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 

Friday, March 27, 2020 

Saturday, March 28, 2020 

(Vocalists Only) 

• Degrees in Performance, Music Education, 

Jazz Studies, and Musical Theatre 

• Nationally-recognized classical and 

contemporary ensembles 

• Award-winning faculty 

• Over half a million dollars in scholarships given 

away annually 

The ETSU Department of Music is fully accredited by the 

National Association of Schools of Music. 

@GoETSUMusic 

Facebook.com/ETSUMusic 

14 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2020 | Volume 72, No. 3 

etsu.edu/music

Some are born with 

If authenticity had a 

soul, you would find it 

in Memphis. Creativity 

flows through our veins. 

This is the kind of city and 

university where original 

people are elevating the art 

of music in unforgettable 

ways. If you were born 

with music in your blood, 

you belong at the UofM. 

DEGREES OFFERED 

BM, MM, DMA, PhD 

AUDITION DATES 

Dec. 7, 2019 

Feb. 1, 2020 

Feb. 8, 2020 

Feb. 22, 2020 

in their souls 

memphis.edu/music 

901.678.3766 


We are 

TAMECU 

by Eric Branscome, Ph.D. 

As you help your students bridge the gap from high school to college, it would behoove 

you (the music educators and parents of prospective music majors) to communicate 

directly with the music departments with whom you regularly interact or where your 

students might be interested in attending. 

GREETINGS TO YOU, THE READERSHIP OF THE TENNESSEE MUSICIAN. 

I write to you with two major goals. First, I write to introduce 

you to a little known, behind the scenes, informal 

organization of deans, directors, chairs, and other executives 

of the music units in Tennessee’s institutions of 

higher education. We call ourselves the Tennessee Association of 

Music Executives at Colleges and Universities (TAMECU). We 

encompass public and private colleges, community colleges and 

all of the institutions of higher education in Tennessee. 

Secondly, I write to share a few reflections and observations 

from the organization. As music executives, we get to see students 

in the very awkward transitional phases of their lives. Primarily, 

we get to see them as they transition from high school to college 

and from college to career. Also, when students come to audition 

on our campuses, we get to see the incredible diversity of K-12 

music programs across the state from which students have graduated. 

We get to see how well prepared they are for an audition. 

We get to see how knowledgeable they are about music degree 

and career options. We get to see the types of ensembles and applied 

lesson opportunities available to them in their K-12 schools. 

In essence, through our interactions, we get to learn a lot about 

current events in K-12 music education. And these observations 

lead to two primary questions: 1) What do we need to know about 

K-12 music education and the next generation of college music 

students? In other words, how can we prepare for our next round 

of auditionees? 2) What information can we share with you, the 

K-12 music educators, to help you prepare your students for college 

auditions? 

In regard to question one, we hope you know how much we 

value your input and feedback, and we hope you will always feel 

welcome to communicate with the music unit executives and 

faculty at any one of Tennessee’s higher education institutions. 

Concerning question two, we would like to share a collection of 

observations from the most recent years. Most specifically, we 

would like to share some feedback concerning audition preparation, 

marginalized music students, programmatic diversity in college 

and university music departments, dual-enrollment in music 

courses, and Tennessee Promise. As a point of clarification, the 

information in this article is not a formal position of any kind. Nor 

do the experiences shared in this article represent the thoughts 

and opinions of all of Tennessee’s university music unit executives. 

In short, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. As you help 

your students bridge the gap from high school to college, it would 

behoove you (the music educators and parents of prospective music 

majors) to communicate directly with the music departments 

with whom you regularly interact or where your students might be 

interested in attending. 

AUDITIONS 

There are a fair number of prospective students each year who 

want to study music at the college level, but who claim that nobody 

ever informed them about an audition requirement to be a music 

major. Once they apply to their college or university of choice, and 

once they check the box indicating they want to be a music major, 

their names and contact information are sent to the music office, 

and it is not until then that someone in the music office informs 

them of an audition requirement. 

A natural instinct in a situation like this is to ask who did not 

communicate with these students about a music audition. However, 

it is more useful to ask why these students claim they did not 

know about an audition. As we probe into this question, we find a 

few commonalities. 


Many times, students do not come to final college decisions 

until after they graduate from high school (or later). Therefore, 

they may not be on the radar of their high school music teachers 

or guidance counselors who, if they knew the student was interested 

in pursuing a music degree, would have guided the student 

through the application and audition process. 

MARGINALIZED MUSIC STUDENTS 

More commonly, however, we find that students who come to 

college with little or no knowledge of audition requirements are 

marginalized music students. By this term, I mean that while 

they self-identify as musicians, they may not have participated 

in school music programs and therefore would not have received 

communication from a high school music educator. Some very 

specific examples of marginalized music students in most campuses 

include: 

Pianists 

There are few high schools with curricular piano offerings 

apart from class piano. Even then, class piano is 

typically for students who do not participate in the major 

ensembles. Serious piano students at the high school 

level typically began their training as young children and, 

by the time they reach high school, are well-beyond the 

abilities of a typical class piano setting. Therefore, high 

school piano students may feel that there are no performing 

opportunities for them at their local campus and participate 

solely through the local private lessons studios. 

Drummers 

Note the intentional use of the word drummers instead of 

percussionists. Here, I define percussionists as students 

who participate in their school ensembles and, through 

those ensembles, gain experiences in the full gamut of 

pitched and non-pitched percussion. Drummers, on the 

other hand, are students that play the drum set. They may 

be in a garage band or they may play at their local place of 

worship; they may be incredibly strong musicians; they 

may be self-taught or they may have taken lessons for 

years. For one reason or another, they do not want to play 

‘percussion’ in a school ensemble and are usually disconnected 

from the school’s music education program. 

Guitarists and Electric Bass 

For reasons similar to those described for pianists and 

drummers, there are a lot of guitar players and bass players 

on high school campuses who choose not to participate 

in their school’s ensembles. In some cases, the opportunities 

are not available. In other cases, they do not 

want to perform ‘band’ or ‘orchestra’ music. Finally, they 

may not be aware that the music teacher would be willing 

to have them perform in the ensemble on an instrument 

that is not typically part of a traditional ensemble. 

Genre Gap 

There is a final category of marginalized music students 

that I define as a genre gap. This category includes orchestral 

strings players in schools whose primary focus 

is symphonic band or marching band. This category also 

includes singers whose talents do not match the ensemble 

offerings of their local school. They may be operatic 

singers in schools whose primary focus is show choir, 

musical theatre, or popular singing styles. Conversely, 

they may be gospel, jazz, or popular singers in schools 

with traditional choral programs. 

Homeschoolers 

Unfortunately, the category of homeschoolers is not 

as cut-and-dry as some of the other types of marginalized 

students. Parents of homeschooled children do 

not always rely on the resources of their zoned school 

in the same ways. Some homeschool co-ops provide 

resources that others do not. There are some situations 

where a homeschool student may want to participate 

in the ensembles at the zoned school. Eventually, these 

students may want to pursue a music degree at the college 

level, but they may not have access to college or 

career-counseling resources available to traditional students. 

If this is the case, and if the student’s parents are 

not aware of college entry requirements, the student may 

never be informed of an audition. 

In review, there are many possible reasons that marginalized 

music students may have valid reason to claim that they were 

never informed about audition requirements. Sometimes 

these marginalized music students should not pursue music 

as a college major or as a career. They love it and they will most 

likely remain active as music hobbyists but they may not possess 

the skills, dispositions or discipline it takes to succeed in a music 

career. In other cases, however, these are incredibly strong musicians 

who will be quite successful as professional musicians if 

they so choose. To address this issue, we offer the following: 

First, we encourage music teachers to look for innovative opportunities 

to involve marginalized music students in the school 

music program, and do so in ways that highlight their primary performance 

medium. 

Next, if you are not already doing so, communicate with all 

of your students about audition requirements to study music at 

the college level. Sometimes, these conversations only happen on 

an individual basis, when a student approaches the teacher with 

questions. Instead, communicating with all students minimizes 

the opportunity for marginalized students to miss-out on important 

information. 

Third, communicate early and often about the full range of 

music career options, the type of undergraduate degree required 

of each, and the type of college or university that offers the degree. 

Many times, students do not think about pursuing a music degree 

because they are unaware of the range of career options. 

Finally, college music faculty usually keep outreach and recruitment 

at the top of their priority list, and seek out opportunities 

to visit local schools. If nobody has contacted you to discuss 

college and career opportunities in music, reach out to your local 

college or other professionals in the community that might provide 

useful information for preparing for a college audition. 


PROGRAM DIVERSITY 

The next observation is in regard to the increasingly diverse 

skill sets and prior musical experiences with which 

music students come to college, and the possible fit of 

those skills in their chosen college. Those of us who claim 

music as a profession understand that not all college music 

departments look alike. Although we as professional 

musicians understand this, students and parents may not. Increasingly, 

college and university music departments are diversifying 

their curricular offerings; sometimes to meet the needs 

of the local community; sometimes to accomplish the goals of a 

new administrator on campus; sometimes to meet accreditation 

requirements. Through continued growth and curricular innovations, 

Tennessee’s college and university music programs have 

come to offer quite a diverse array of degree and certificate programs. 

What this means for students is that not all students will be 

the best fit at their local university, or at their first-choice university. 

A student who is skilled in popular music styles will thrive in 

some programs but may not even pass an audition into programs 

that require traditional music literacy. Therefore, we encourage 

you to research the programmatic and curricular offerings of the 

community colleges, technical schools, four-year colleges and the 

graduate programs across the state to see what each program offers, 

and help your students determine where they might fit best 

as a prospective music major. Encourage students to pursue many 

options, but prioritize the program that best suits their skills, experiences, 

and career goals. 

DUAL CREDITS 

Increasingly, high schools are seeking opportunities to offer dual-enrollment 

credits to the point that many students graduate 

with an associate’s degree at the same time they complete high 

school. For high school music educators, this may result in an increased 

interest and enrollment in Music Appreciation and Music 

Theory courses, especially if college credit is an option. If you are 

interested in pursuing this for your campus, we offer these considerations: 

First, communicate with your campus and system-level administration 

to see if dual-credits are an option for your school 

system. If so, the school will have most likely partnered with a local 

college or community college where the credits will transfer. 

Next, you will need to have some graduate-level music course 

work. Some institutions require a master’s degree with 18-hours 

in music while others will only require 18 graduate music hours. 

Finally, as your class will provide both high school and college 

level credit, you will need to arrange some details with administrators 

on both campuses. You will most likely be hired as an adjunct 

faculty at the college where students will receive credit. You 

may be asked to create two different syllabi; one that addresses the 

syllabus requirements of each campus. You may be asked to use a 

specific textbook required of the college. You should also be observed 

and evaluated by an administrator from the college music 

program in addition to your school system’s required observation 

process. These extra steps add a layer or two of extra paperwork, 

but are necessary to ensure the college addresses its accreditation 

requirements for students receiving credit from one or more of 

its programs. 

TENNESSEE PROMISE 

We are officially four to five years into Tennessee Promise. This 

program has made college available to thousands of students who 

would not have otherwise been able to obtain a college degree. In 

light of the benefits of the program, there are some factors that 

music students should consider before they decide whether to 

pursue college through TN Promise or through a traditional program. 

The primary consideration is that not all community colleges 

offer music classes, lessons, or ensembles. Therefore, a student interested 

in pursuing a four-year music degree may complete all 

of the general education requirements at a community college, 

transfer to a four-year school to complete a bachelor’s degree, and 

would then need to start-over as a freshman to complete the fouryear 

music course sequence in most music degrees. As a result, 

it may take a minimum of six or seven years to complete a program 

that should have only taken four years to complete. If you 

have students considering TN Promise and who plan to complete 

a four-year degree, encourage them to thoroughly research their 

college options. Make sure they are aware of the music offerings at 

the community colleges they are considering, and of the transition 

from community college to four-year school. 

TMEA RESOURCES 

I 

would like to close this article with a reminder that TMEA offers 

a wealth of college-level music education resources that 

are accessible to anyone. Collegiate NAfME (CNAfME) is a nationwide 

organization of music majors who plan to become music 

teachers. In Tennessee, the college chapters are organized by a 

TMEA board member, and by a campus-level chapter sponsor. 

The chapter sponsor is usually the music education coordinator 

at the local college who can also be a very valuable resource to 

those of you in K-12 music education. You can find a complete list 

under the Board/Council tab on the “About Us” menu option at 

www.tnmea.org. Additionally, the TMEA board includes a Higher 

Education chairperson who coordinates the activities of the 

college-level music education programs within the association. 

Finally, you are always welcome to reach out to us, the directors, 

chairs, deans and administrators of the music units at Tennessee’s 

higher education institutions. We value the work that you do and 

look forward to continued work with you. 

Dr. Eric Branscome joined the Austin 

Peay State University Music Department 

in the fall of 2011 as Coordinator 

of Music Education and became 

Department Chair in the fall 2017 semester. 

He teaches undergraduate and 

graduate courses in music education, 

supervises music student teachers, and 

is the founder and director of Camp 

Granada, APSU’s elementary music 

summer day camp. He was the recipient 

of the 2012 Socrates Award for Excellence 

in Teaching, the 2014 Harold 

Love Community Service Award, and 

the 2016 Outstanding Advising Award. 


Ryan Fisher 

Jeffrey Chipman 


Dr. Ryan Fisher 

2020 President-Elect Candidate 

RYAN FISHER, Associate Professor of Music Education, 

is in his seventh year at the University of Memphis 

where he served as the Music Education Coordinator 

and Associate Director of Choral Activities in the 

Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music before becoming the 

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the College of 

Communication and Fine Arts in 2018. Choirs under his 

direction have been featured at the Arkansas Music 

Educators Association conference (2010), Tennessee 

Music Education Association conference (2015), and 

ACDA Southern region conference (2020) and made 

frequent guest appearances with the Arkansas Symphony 

Orchestra, Conway Symphony Orchestra, and 

Germantown Symphony Orchestra. 

Dr. Fisher has served as the Vice President of the 

Choral Division of the Texas Private Music Educators 

Association, President-Elect of the Arkansas Music 

Educators Association, Higher Education Chair of 

the Tennessee Music Education Association, Higher 

Education Chair of the West Tennessee Vocal Music 

Educators Association, and member of the National 

Association for Music Education Choral Council. He 

currently serves on the Tennessee American Choral 

Directors Association state board and the Update: 

Applications of Research in Music Education editorial 

committee. Dr. Fisher is an active choral clinician 

and researcher. He earned a BME from Lee University, 

a MM in choral conducting and a PhD in music education 

from the University of North Texas. In 2016, he 

was named the Lee University School of Music Distinguished 

Alumnus of the Year. His research interests 

involve the male voice change, assessment in music 

education, and self-efficacy. His writings have been 

published in various prestigious journals including the 

Journal of Research in Music Education, Bulletin of the 

Council for Research in Music Education, and Update: 

Applications of Research in Music Education. 


Vision 

My vision would be to implement the goals of our organization 

as stated in the TMEA bylaws (Article 

II, Section 2). As with many state music organizations 

that sponsor All-State music ensembles, we 

tend to spend most of our time and energy meeting 

our first stated goal: “Encourage and provide 

students with opportunities for high quality music 

experiences.” We should continue to do this by continually improving 

the quality of our clinicians and ensembles. I feel TMEA 

could do a better job in achieving our second goal: “Actively promote 

and provide the best resources and opportunities for professional 

development.” I know that during my time on the TMEA 

board, we made a concerted effort to increase attendance of elementary 

and middle school music educators at our annual conference. 

We must continue these efforts and begin to target our marketing 

materials and social media campaigns to reach potential 

members and conference participants who may not be bringing 

students to participate in the All-State ensembles. TMEA must 

strive to provide stellar clinicians for all areas so the professional 

development needs of our current and future music teachers are 

met, and our knowledge and skills related to teaching is increased. 

We must also do more to meet our teachers’ professional development 

needs outside of our annual state conference. Perhaps 

we could more successfully use social media to allow teachers to 

share inspirational stories, videos of a successful lesson, or lesson 

plans. That medium allows a free and accessible way for music 

teachers to easily interact with one another. TMEA area chairs 

could supervise those discussions to ensure quality advice is being 

shared. We should encourage more article submissions for 

the Tennessee Musician from our members via a “call for papers”. 

We can also partner with our regional music education organizations 

in the state to potentially offer workshops at their meetings 

throughout the year. 

I believe the President of TMEA should regularly meet with the 

presidents of the other arts education organizations throughout 

the state to be sure we have a unified voice and consider how legislation, 

policies, and funding may impact all arts programs in our 

schools. I developed this special board of arts education leaders 

in Arkansas before taking the University of Memphis job and we 

were successful in having proposed state bills and policies that 

would have negatively impacted the arts in the state pulled or significantly 

altered. 

We should extend these advocacy efforts to promote the importance 

of music to our district superintendents and school principals. 

I believe TMEA should coordinate presentations to share at 

state school administrators’ conferences and partner with principals 

who are strong music advocates. By reinforcing our Opportunity 

to Learn Standards, and asking for protection and integrity of 

our music classes, we could provide a strong, supportive voice for 

our members who often feel devalued and ostracized. 

TMEA is a wonderful organization and has had wonderful leadership. 

We have great potential to meet the goals established in our 

bylaws. I believe in the power of music and have devoted my life to 

promoting and protecting its place in our schools. I have served 

numerous music education organizations in my career and it 

would be the honor of my life to serve this organization. 

The last goal in which I think we should continue our efforts is in 

the area of advocacy. NAfME has had great success in establishing 

a coalition of various music organizations to promote the importance 

of music in our schools. They have also been aggressive and 

active in advocating for music’s place in our schools as evidenced 

by legislative achievements in the past 10 years. TMEA is on a 

great path to implementing some of these strategies at the state 

level, and I believe we should increase our level of involvement. 


Jeffrey Chipman 

2020 President-Elect Candidate 

JEFFREY CHIPMAN serves as Choral Director and 

Performing Arts Lead Teacher for the PAVE Arts Academy 

at Arlington High School, in Arlington, Tennessee. 

During his 24-year teaching career he has directed 

choirs to numerous awards and accolades. The Arlington 

Chorale was selected to perform at the TMEA 

Conference in 2018. Jeffrey has taught all levels of 

students from elementary to undergraduate. His work 

has also included professional singing engagements 

and directing community and church ensembles. Mr. 

Chipman earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees 

in Vocal Music Education at The University of Mississippi. 

He has worked as an honor choir clinician in the 

Southeastern United States and routinely provides 

professional development, most notably in the areas 

of teaching diverse populations, student assessment 

and teacher evaluation. Mr. Chipman has served as 

the chairperson for Choral Music with the Tennessee 

Music Education Association. Mr. Chipman is honored 

and excited to travel to Normandy, France with the Arlington 

High Chorale this June after receiving an invitation 

to participate in the official closing events of the 

commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day 

Invasion. Among his most cherished recognitions 

is the “My Favorite Educator Award” from the Memphis-Shelby 

County Education Association. This award 

is given based on an essay written about a teacher by 

a former student whose life was positively impacted 

through the teacher’s work. 


Vision 

Throughout my 24-year teaching career, I have had the 

opportunity to work with many wonderful professionals 

in all aspects of education. I have spent my career 

in public schools teaching elementary, middle, and high 

school levels. I have seen massive change in our field 

over that time. I have worked alongside you to weather 

these changes and continue to improve the lives our 

Tennessee’s children through music. Change is happening at a 

faster pace each year and we continue to adapt and improve our 

work. With all of the positive and affirming things I have experienced, 

there is still much work to do. My vision for TMEA focuses 

on developing the immense talent of the thousands of professionals 

serving in music classrooms across our state. TMEA can have 

a positive impact on the success of all music teachers by investing 

our resources into quality, focused professional training opportunities. 

We can improve our connectivity to assist in mentoring 

new or struggling teachers, or those changing grade levels. We can 

work cooperatively and expand our network of partner organizations 

and professionals. And we must continue the forward momentum 

we have seen with supporting and honoring the diversity 

of our profession and the students we lead. 

We must continue to foster and grow strong relationships with 

partner organizations who share our vision and who will help 

us achieve our goals. In doing so, we bring added credibility to 

our mission and connect with an even broader audience across 

the state. There has been tremendous work over the past several 

years cultivating these partnerships, specifically with groups 

such as the CMA Foundation. It is imperative that we sustain 

these connections and work to expand them. Tennessee’s cultural 

heritage is rich and undeniably centers on music. From the Blues 

and Beale Street, to Country and Broadway, to Bluegrass and the 

Smoky Mountains, music pours from all corners of our state and 

provides us with a depth and richness of possibilities and connections 

that can infuse our organization with immense talent 

and know-how. Working closely with our regional associations 

who are closest to the organizations in their regions, we can grow 

stronger connections to other cultural outlets that will result in 

more learning opportunities for our students and teachers. 

When teaching middle school, I found that there was a significant 

need for professional development tailored to the level I taught 

every day. I have long been an advocate of finding ways to get our 

middle school teachers to the conference so that they can benefit 

from all the sessions TMEA has to offer. Without middle school 

focused honor ensembles, and the approved field trips they would 

provide, too many of our colleagues are denied the ability to attend 

our professional development conference. We have started 

to work toward a solution for this in the choral area, and I remain 

hopeful that our membership can work toward bridging the middle 

school gap. There is awesome work going on in so many middle 

school classrooms, yet many are left out of the opportunities provided 

by our professional organization due to factors we can help 

change. I am certain our organization can and will strengthen our 

pre-K-collegiate partnerships and provide learning and support 

across that pipeline in benefit of all students. 

Another area of focus I would continue to strengthen is our work 

with diverse student populations. I have been amazed and inspired 

with the silent revolution that has taken place with this generation 

of students. Their understanding of race, ethnicity, religion, 

gender, expression, and sexuality are informed, nuanced, and have 

outpaced their elders by decades. The access to information they 

have enjoyed has resulted in dramatic shifts in cultural thinking 

and we must not only be responsive, but when possible, proactive 

in aligning our organization with those we serve. There are many 

ways we can achieve this goal to celebrate the diversity we see in 

our classrooms and in the ensembles we are blessed to prepare at 

All-State. One significant way is to further develop and strengthen 

our partnerships with our collegiate chapters of NAfME. The 

members of these groups are closer to the pulse of these cultural 

shifts and are invaluable to the development of policies and procedures 

that respect our diverse students and membership. This 

would also bring those who will eventually lead our state’s music 

classrooms into the conversation and offer them ownership in the 

future of our organization. Additionally, we must provide training 

and support for our members so that they have the resources 

they need to advocate for their students and provide all children in 

our state with quality experiences that celebrate them. This work 

has begun and it is critical that the forward momentum be maintained. 

On a personal note, I want to thank TMEA for the opportunities 

afforded to my students and me. From serving as State Choral 

Chair, performing for TMEA Conference, leading training and interest 

sessions, to All-State opportunities for my kids, I am fortunate 

and proud to be a part of this organization. The relationships 

built, lessons learned, and futures set are among the greatest 

achievements of my career and because we live what we do, also 

my life. Thank you for what you do each and every day. 


Lead 

Creativity 

Department of Music 

BACHELOR OF MUSIC 

Concentrations include: 

• Guitar Performance 

• Instrumental Performance 

• Keyboard Performance 

• Vocal Performance 

• Composition 

• Music Education 

Choral/K-12 General Music 

Instrumental/K-12 General Music 

BACHELOR OF ARTS/SCIENCE 

Customizable music degree plans for a 

variety of music and music-related careers 

MASTER OF MUSIC 

Concentrations include: 

• Instrumental Performance 

• Vocal Performance 

• Instrumental Conducting 

• Choral Conducting 

• Music Education (with licensure option) 

Graduate assistantships are available. 

Tuition waivers are available to 

out-of-state students. 

Audition dates are available at 

www.apsu.edu/music/graduate/auditions 

www.apsu.edu/music/undergraduate/auditions 

apsu.edu/music 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: 

Department of Music 931-221-7818 • music@apsu.edu 

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What can you do with 

a music degree from UT Martin? Anything! 

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Charles Lewis 

Lecturer of Music–Flute 


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The Music Place 

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Owner 

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Software Developer 

Microsoft 

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Principal 

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Retired Band Director 

Former Mayor of Trenton, TN 

Alicia Field 

Flight Attendant 

United Airlines 

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Owner 

Memphis Drum Shop 

Ed Sargent 

Tour Manager 

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts 

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Manager 

Nashville Symphony 

Jeff Hearington 

Owner & Arranger 

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Degree Key: 

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Bachelor of Arts in Music 

(731)881-7402 

utm.edu/music 

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for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status. Inquiries should be directed to 

the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED), 303 Administration Building, Martin, TN 38238, (731) 881-3505 Office, (731) 881-4889 TTY, Hearing Impaired, (731) 881-3507 Fax, equityanddiversity@utm.edu, http://www.utm.edu/ 

departments/equalopp/. In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (The Clery Act), UTM’s annual security report includes statistics for the previous three years 

concerning reported crimes that occurred on or around the campus and UTM’s emergency response and evacuation procedures. You can view the report at http://www.utm.edu/departments/finadmin/publicsafety/annualreport. 

php or you may obtain a paper copy of the report by contacting the Office of Public Safety, 215 Hurt Street, Martin, TN 38238 or calling (731) 881-7777. Data on intercollegiate athletics program participation rates and financial 

support may be found at http://www.utm.edu/webshare/consumer_docs/09-10%20DOE-EADA%20Report.pdf and printed copies may be obtained through the Office of Intercollegiate Athletics, 1022 Elam Center, Martin, TN 

38238 or by calling (731) 881-7660. E05-5220-00-002-20

Cultivating Relationships 

Through Trust = SUPPORT 

by Marcia Neel 

Seasoned music educators know that 

networking within the school is 

something that must be cultivated 

over the long term. Networking leads 

to building quality relationships and those 

relationships lead to the establishment of 

trust and ultimately, support. Once trust 

is in place, you have put others at ease and 

in doing so, they become more open to all 

that you represent—your students, your 

programs, your ideas and more. Once this 

happens, the job of negotiating the many 

nooks and crannies of program support 

becomes much less of a cumbersome task. 

So how do we accomplish this? Must we 

possess an outgoing personality? Do we 

just start talking with people? If I were 

new to a school, I might feel a little reserved 

about making the “first move” with 

the principal/supervisor. Yes, you met the 

principal at the interview and established 

a preliminary, more formal relationship 

but now it’s time to advance that relationship 

to the next level. 

It’s important to understand that people 

who engender trust exhibit common 

characteristics. Manchester, Inc., of Philadelphia 

performed a survey with over 200 

companies to discover the best ways to 

build trust and the responses apply to the 

school culture as well as to the business 

environment. The beauty is that in demonstrating 

these traits to others, they will be 

demonstrated back to you in return. 

1. MAINTAIN INTEGRITY 

The Oxford Dictionary defines integrity as the quality of being 

honest and having strong moral principles. The best way for us 

to demonstrate integrity is to keep our word and this is shown 

in everything that we do from completing paperwork on time to 

following through on promises made. Being reliable also means 

that we hold ourselves accountable to be on time and to respond 

to people in a timely fashion and requires organization. Having a 

system for completing paperwork and correspondence is a must. 

Also, a no-surprises approach shows supervisors that you want 

them to be successful as well, so make sure to give your principal 

a heads-up if a call is going to be received from an unhappy parent 

or frustrated colleague. 

2. OPENLY COMMUNICATE VISION AND VALUES 

Being able to communicate our purpose and beliefs and remaining 

true to these as our core values allows everyone we work with to 

understand our purpose. If our purpose is to serve the students 

and the school, then the outcomes of our decision-making must be 

based on what is best for these two constituencies. It is much easier 

to defend our positions on everything from budgets to curriculum 

to pulling students out of school for an activity if our actions 

stem from these values. A relationship built on an established vision 

and value also clears the path for open dialogue and honest 

exchange since a starting point is already in place. 

3. SHOW RESPECT FOR EMPLOYEES AS EQUAL PARTNERS 

We all know the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a 

child,” and this is easily evidenced in the school community. From 

the principal to the counselor to the custodian to the teaching staff 

and everyone in between, everyone wants to feel valued, so take an 

interest in people as individuals. Find out which teams they follow 

or what music/artists they like or what books they read then 

establish common ground. In considering the big picture, you 

might seek how to increase the ways in which the music program 

could make a positive impact on the staff. One successful example 

might be to host an annual Staff Appreciation Luncheon on or 

near Valentine’s Day. Students would make and send out invitations 

to the entire school staff to be their guests. It could be held in 

the Faculty Lounge or near the school cafeteria. All it would take 

would be to provide the lunch, assemble some music-themed centerpieces, 

tables cloths and silverware, provide a little live entertainment 

and there you have it—instant support for your program 

from the entire staff because of a little extra effort made to show 

your colleagues that you appreciate them. For many, this could 

be their first experience in seeing students demonstrating their 

learned skills and the students will love being able to share their 

talents with some of their other teachers so this is a definite winwin. 

When we show that we value others, we are valued in return, 

plus it demonstrates to our students that we live what we espouse 

to them. 


1. MAINTAIN INTEGRITY 

2. OPENLY COMMUNICATE VISION AND VALUES 

3. SHOW RESPECT FOR EMPLOYEES AS EQUAL PARTNERS 

4. FOCUS ON SHARED GOALS RATHER THAN PERSONAL AGENDAS 

5. DO THE RIGHT THING REGARDLESS OF PERSONAL RISK 

6. LISTEN WITH AN OPEN MIND 

7. DEMONSTRATE COMPASSION 

8. MAINTAIN CONFIDENCES 

4. FOCUS ON SHARED GOALS RATHER THAN PERSONAL AGENDAS 

At his inauguration speech, President John F. Kennedy challenged 

Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what 

you can do for your country.” In considering the big picture, what 

are the initiatives that are the focus point for the current school 

year and how might you contribute? What are the Vision and 

Mission of the school? Does your program address these? In what 

way? Are the Vision and Mission Statement on your Music Department 

letterhead? If literacy is the school-wide initiative, support 

the initiative in an outward way. Teach vocabulary and expect 

good spelling in written work. Make the point that learning to read 

music is a form of literacy as well. Show buy-in and your school 

leaders will appreciate your support and support you in return. 

5. DO THE RIGHT THING REGARDLESS OF PERSONAL RISK 

There are times when we make mistakes–BIG ONES–but dealing 

with them honestly and in a timely fashion can actually help 

to build trust. During my first year of teaching, I was rehearsing 

an ensemble in the gym for a performance the following day at a 

pep rally. The sound equipment was set up so that we would be all 

ready to go. Everything was going just fine until we heard a loud 

POP followed by the burning of an extension cord from the outlet 

all the way up to the sound board. The result was an enormous 

black burn mark extending halfway across the gymnasium floor. 

I was scared to death and couldn’t even imagine how the basketball 

coach was going to react; but there was only one thing to do 

and that was to call my supervisor that very moment and tell him 

what had happened and ask what I could do to make it right. Fortunately, 

the burn did not go all the way down to the wood, but my 

supervisor had my back by meeting the basketball coach when he 

showed up for school that next morning. 

6. LISTEN WITH AN OPEN MIND 

Listening is the first step in establishing open lines of communication. 

Sometimes it’s a casual conversation about something unrelated 

to school, but at times, it can be downright confrontational. 

It’s important to remember that in these cases, that person is frustrated, 

and venting may be the only solution. Two thoughts to keep 

in mind are 1) never take these confrontations or criticisms personally 

and 2) don’t get emotional. This will allow you to remain 

calm no matter what. Check your body language and be aware of 

how you are showing that you are truly listening. If your arms or 

legs are crossed, you may be distancing people inadvertently. Are 

your brows furrowed or are you displaying a pleasant demeanor? 

Are you using eye contact? Maintaining an open posture and appropriate 

facial expression communicates that you are “all in” to 

hearing AND understanding. 

7. DEMONSTRATE COMPASSION 

Genuinely caring for others by showing concern lets them know 

that you are an upstanding person who puts others ahead of self. 

It’s surprising how a small gesture can endear someone to you. I’ll 

always remember the chemistry teacher at my school who, just 

prior to my returning to school after attending my father’s funeral, 

had come into my office and turned selected books upside down 

in my bookcase and strewn dots from a three hole punch all across 

my desk. Underneath all of those many dots was a very sweet card 

that expressed a personal sentiment. I’ll never forget it. When 

he had to take off a week because his wife had to have surgery, he 

returned to find I had completely TP’d his office with Charmin’s 

finest. There are many ways to demonstrate compassion without 

making a mess, of course, but when we show others how much we 

care, they show compassion for us in return. 

8. MAINTAIN CONFIDENCES 

Keeping secrets is one of life’s challenges, but it’s nice to be 

known as that one person in the building who others can share 

with knowing that it’s “in the vault.” The nicest thing I ever heard 

anyone say about someone was that they never heard that person 

speak an ill word about another. This is the ultimate compliment. 

It doesn’t take long to discover who the gossips are. Every school 

has them and they should be avoided at all costs! 

Music teachers who demonstrate the above traits consistently 

discover that trust is the glue that bonds everything together 

as well as the lubricant that keeps things moving 

smoothly. It helps others to understand more about what we do 

and the value that it provides for the students. Stephen M.R. Covey, 

author of The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything, 

explains that while high trust won’t necessarily rescue a 

poor strategy, low trust will almost always derail a good one. Exhibiting 

the above characteristics of trust may not come easily but 

they can be learned and cultivated over time. All we need to do is 

get started. What we give is what we get back in return. 

Marcia Neel is president of Music Education Consultants, 

Inc., and serves as educational advisor 

to the Music Achievement Council (MAC). In this 

capacity, she provides sessions at conferences, district 

in-service days, and dealer workshops to share 

practical success strategies to help educators with 

the many and varied elements of the successful 

music education program. Marcia also serves as 

Senior Director of Education for the Yamaha Band 

and Orchestral Division and was recently appointed 

to the Percussive Arts Society Board of Directors. 


Belmont’s School of Music is a place where you can fully develop your talent and see how far it can take you. 

To join our creative community and explore your artistry, visit BELMONT.EDU/MUSIC. 

College of Music & Performing Arts 

AUDITION DATES FOR ADMISSION FALL 2020 

UNDERGRADUATE: 1.11.20 • 1.25.20 • 2.8.20 

GRADUATE: 1.17.20 • 2.7.20 • 2.28.20 

Photo Credit: Rob Davidson 

Photo Credit: Rob Davidson Photography 

Celebrate Your Music Program With National Recognition 

The NAMM Foundation’s Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) program recognizes and celebrates schools 

and districts for their support and commitment to music education as part of the curriculum. 

Get The National Recognition Your Music Program Deserves! Apply by January 31, 2020 

Recognizes Commitment Increases Visibility Validates Programs Advances Support 

NAMMFOUNDATION.ORG 

NAMMF_BCME_8x5-12.indd 1 

28 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2020 | Volume 72, No. 3 

11/1/19 11:26 AM

EMPOWERING TEACHERS TODAY 

POWERS THE MUSIC OF TOMORROW 

As an educator, one of the most impactful ways to improve is by educating yourself. That’s 

why the Yamaha Educator Suite (YES) helps music teachers access professional development 

opportunities, music teacher resources, program health support, advocacy assistance and 

more. YES brings you a network of like-minded teachers, experts and professionals, who want 

to help you achieve your goals. Let us help you raise the bar. Go to YamahaEducatorSuite.com 


you work hard at 

sounding good 

we work hard at 

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SLATE GROUP SUPPORTS 

MUSIC EDUCATION 

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PUBLICATION DESIGN 

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TENNESSEE MUSICIAN ADVERTISER INDEX | VOLUME 72, No. 3 

A very special thank you to all of 

our advertisers who support the 

work of music educators at all 

levels in the State of Tennessee. 

ADVERTISER 

Austin Peay State University 24 

Belmont University 28 

Bob Rogers Travel 

Inside Back Cover 

East Tennessee State University 14 

Lee University 

Lipscomb University 

Inside Front Cover 

Back Cover 

Middle Tennessee State University 4 

NAMM Foundation 28 

Slate Group 30 

Smoky Mountain Music Festival 31 

Tennessee State University 8 

Tennessee Technological University 5 

Union University 9 

University of Memphis 15 

An educational festival for 

elementary, middle, and 

high school students in band, 

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University of Tennessee at Knoxville Bands 3 

University of Tennessee at Martin 25 

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or call:1-855-766-3008 


TMEA BACK THEN 

• In this conference edition of the 

Tennessee Musician, then President 

Dr. Tom Cowan encouraged all music 

teachers to attend the upcoming gala 

celebration of the Centennial of the 

Tennessee Education Association from 

April 8-10, 1965. The TMEA All-State 

Ensembles would perform during the 

TEA general sessions, thus “giving them 

the largest audiences in their history”. 

Special recognition was given to John 

Bright for his leadership of the local 

committee responsible for scheduling 

the program for music educators at this 

event. Dr. Cowan also invited Tennessee 

music educators to attend the upcoming 

MENC (now NAfME) Southern Division 

convention which would feature two 

Tennessee performing groups, the 

Memphis State University Chorale 

and the Tennessee School for the 

Blind Band. 

Conference. Thursday highlights 

were morning rehearsals of the All- 

State Band, Chorus, and Orchestra, 

on-site registration (which was then 

$2.00), demonstration and music 

reading clinics in the afternoon, and a 

TEA Banquet and Dance to close the 

evening. Friday activities continued 

with performances of the All-State 

Chorus (Director: Dr. Charles H. 

Webb, Jr.) and Orchestra (Director: 

Howard Brown) at the morning and 

evening general sessions, respectively. 

The Saturday morning general session 

featured the All-State Band (Director: 

THE TENNESSEE MUSICIAN 

(MARCH 1965) 

Volume 17, No. 3 – 12 pgs. 

Dr. Tom Cowan, TMEA President 

Carolyn M. Scruggs, Editor 

Nilo W. Hovey) and concluded with an 

afternoon meeting of the TMEA Board 

of Control (now the TMEA Board of 

Directors). 

• The School of Music at Nashville’s 

Peabody College for Teachers (now 

part of Vanderbilt University) was 

recognized for receiving one of eight 

university grants awarded through 

MENC’s Contemporary Music Project 

for Creativity in Music Education. 

Composer on faculty Gilbert Trythall 

served as the director of the three week 

“Contemporary Music Workshop”. 

• The Tennessee School For The Blind 

Band from Nashville was selected as 

one of the ensembles to perform at 

the upcoming 1965 MENC Southern 

Division convention in Louisville, 

Kentucky, on March 12, 1965. Under 

the direction of director Mrs. Virginia 

Mitchell Bruce and assistant director 

Miss Reigel, this band of 43 members 

encompassed students from ages 9 

through 18, where “one-fourth of the 

ensemble read regular music notation 

while the remainder of the students 

read braille music”. The noteworthy 

program this band would perform 

included Grainger’s Irish Tune from 

County Derry, Sousa’s Stars and Stripes 

Forever, Slocum’s arrangement of 

Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro Overture, 

and more. This article was intriguing and 

included answers to commonly asked 

questions; details consisted of methods 

the directors in this ensemble utilized 

to teach the repertoire, how braille 

music was notated for the students, and 

how tempi changes were rehearsed and 

performed as an ensemble. 

• The program for the upcoming 

Tennessee Music Educators 

Association’s Convention (West 

End High School; Nashville, TN) 

resembled aspects of the outline 

utilized for our modern-day TMEA 


TO US, 

EVERY 

MOMENT 

MATTERS. 

You create the music, we’ll do the rest. 

since 

1981 

we’ve been working 

with directors to create 

incredible student 

travel experiences. 

over 

6,500 

custom trips planned 

to destinations in the 

U.S. and abroad, 

no two alike. 

bobrogerstravel.com 

Making Moments 

That Matter 

since 

1981 

Call: (800) 373-1423

Tennessee Music Education Association 

352 W. Northfield Blvd. 

Suite M 

Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37129 

Lipscomb University’s School of Music 

Director of Instrumental Studies Dr. Ben Blasko 

Dr. Ben Blasko 

D.M.A. Wind Conducting 

• Compositions and orchestrations 

performed by Nashville Symphony, 

U.S. Navy Band, One Republic, Colton 

Dixon, Cody Fry and Nashville Studio 

Orchestras. Winner of the 2017 World 

Music Conducting Competition in the 

United States. 

• Get a mentorship based education 

with hands-on experience at a Christian 

university in the heart of Music City. Be 

classically trained and commercially 

prepared. Join Nashville’s music scene 

the moment you step on campus. 

For information about 

how your students 

can train with us in Music 

City, email Ben at: 

bablasko@lipscomb.edu. 

Lipscomb University School of Music 

615.966.5932 

music@lipscomb.edu

TN Musician Vol. 72, No. 3

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